After looking at Brian's pictures, I'd like to point out that it is generally considered unsafe to support a vehicle with cement blocks. In this case it isn't much of an issue because the tires are barely off the ground and no one is working under the trailer. Brian is correct in that he has the blocks laid with the holes up, and wood the full length of the block which distributes the load and minimizes the potential of the block crumbling. I admit I have used cement blocks to support things, but never will work under a vehicle that is on cement blocks. Be safe, always!!

After looking at Brian's pictures, I'd like to point out that it is generally considered unsafe to support a vehicle with cement blocks. In this case it isn't much of an issue because the tires are barely off the ground and no one is working under the trailer. Brian is correct in that he has the blocks laid with the holes up, and wood the full length of the block which distributes the load and minimizes the potential of the block crumbling. I admit I have used cement blocks to support things, but never will work under a vehicle that is on cement blocks. Be safe, always!!

Next year I'm going to set up 6 x 6 and 4 x 4 cribbing to do the job, but this year I was fighting the weather and had to go with I had before a storm rolled in. And at no time did I crawl under the trailer to accomplish the job. My head would probably make an effective wheel chock but I have no intention of putting it to the test! Hope you and Mary are snug and warm in the South. It is currently -8 F here now and expect around -15 by morning. Also there is about 16 inches of snow on the roof of the Parkliner. Fortunately light and fluffy so I don't have to drag the ladder out in these wind chills.

Quote:

Originally Posted by elli

Brian any chance you could - or perhaps you already have posted a get-er on the road again honey do about purging the antifreeze and getting her up and running. Your details on the Parkliner winterization are great!
Any info to point us new owners in the right direction would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Elli

Ellie - thanks for the high praise. When spring rolls around I'll write up and post my reverse procedure. I'm sure there are other step by step instructions posted here on this forum but I haven't had a chance to track them down yet.

Brian; your use of the cement blocks looks OK. I just wanted to point out that they should not be used to support a vehicle that you are going to work under. Many years ago a local guy was killed when a car that was on cement blocks fell on him. I have a good collection of wood blocking I use, jack stands, and wood ramps cut from a solid piece of 6 X 12 beam that we used in one of the truck shops I was in.

. Fortunately light and fluffy so I don't have to drag the ladder out in these wind chills. (Brian's quote)

I figured out a couple years ago after I had bought a leaf blower that it works good for clearing that light snow off cars and even the sidewalk at my part time job. Better get it off before it warms up and freezes there.

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I figured out a couple years ago after I had bought a leaf blower that it works good for clearing that light snow off cars and even the sidewalk at my part time job. Better get it off before it warms up and freezes there.

I tried my leaf blower a couple of weeks ago on our deck after a 6 inch snowfall. Light and fluffy that time as well. It was a day much like today with gusts to about 30mph. And shifting direction. I came in about 10 minutes later looking like the Pillsbury dough boy. I think it took about 3 days for my Carharts to dry hanging in the cellar. I'm sticking to a shovel or broom from here on. The only thing that is going to get me outside today is having to load the wood boiler. Brrrrrr!

A question about raising trailers in the off season. I use my trailer about once or twice every couple months thru out the year. Should it be set up on blocks when not being used? Seems like a lot of work if you want to take off at the spur of a moment.

In your case Alice I would not bother blocking up the trailer. And in reality, how many campers out there have ever been stored in that manner. A very small percentage I would guess. I don't do it with any of mine, but I do put a wood board under the tires just to keep them from settling into the dirt.

Thanks Bob. Mine is kept in the garage, snug as a bug in a rug. I can pack it to go in inclement weather easily, and drive off quickly. I do move it a few inches back and forth every few weeks and keep the tires inflated. The reason for raising the trailer us understandable, but very inconvenient if it is used, even once every two months.

If only! I hope to put up a carport in the coming year to reduce the weather exposure but unless I hit the lotto, snug as a bug is not in our ParkLiner's future. The secondary reason for raising the camper is for servicing the e-z lube Dexter axle. The wheel needs to be spun by hand while pumping grease into the fitting on the wheel hub.

A question about raising trailers in the off season. I use my trailer about once or twice every couple months thru out the year. Should it be set up on blocks when not being used? Seems like a lot of work if you want to take off at the spur of a moment.

I just use my electric drill to activate the car scissor jacks that I mounted on the frame just behind the wheels.

Just returned from a week on the Sacandaga River in the southern Adirondacks of NY.

Just prior to our departure, I installed a Victron Energy BMV-700 battery monitor in the camper. What a revelation! We have been wasting gallons of gasoline running our generator for the maximum allowable generator hours of 9 - 11 AM and 4 -7 PM just to make sure our batteries were topped up, because we really had no idea what the state of our battery bank was.Battery Monitor.jpg
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With the battery monitor installed, we have a wealth of information available including battery bank voltage, amp hours used, real time current draw (or replacement) and real time power usage in watts. We found that we use so little power for lighting and pumping water that, running the generator for a maximum of half an hour a couple times a day to heat up meals in the microwave, was adequate to keep the battery bank full. I also installed a battery cut-off switch so I can completely isolate the batteries from the converter. This means no more constant draw from the LP gas leak detector when we have the camper parked and in storage mode.

We also got to give our pellet logs a workout. I bought a set of them early in the spring when they were first shown on this forum. Let's see, a 40 lb. bag of pellets at the Orange Big Box store goes for $4.89. A bag of firewood at the campground entrance (certified to be obtained within a 50 mile radius and thus ash borer free) is up to $9.00.

A single bag of pellets gave us five, almost smoke-free, campfires, each lasting about 1 hour. Using a propane torch to light them (yes, I really am that lazy) took about 10 seconds and didn't require a search for kindling. We had campfires every morning with our coffee and didn't have to put up with a smokey smudge for hours afterward and had evening campfires without having to stay up until midnight waiting for the last coals to die down. When done, we simply shook out the small amount of ash and nested the four logs back in the box for the next trip.

No more horsing the generator into the back of truck for 2 or 3 nights of dry camping. I love being lazy.

Just prior to our departure, I installed a Victron Energy BMV-700 battery monitor in the camper. What a revelation! We have been wasting gallons of gasoline running our generator for the maximum allowable generator hours of 9 - 11 AM and 4 -7 PM just to make sure our batteries were topped up, because we really had no idea what the state of our battery bank was.Attachment 73123

With the battery monitor installed, we have a wealth of information available including battery bank voltage, amp hours used, real time current draw (or replacement) and real time power usage in watts. We found that we use so little power for lighting and pumping water that, running the generator for a maximum of half an hour a couple times a day to heat up meals in the microwave, was adequate to keep the battery bank full. I also installed a battery cut-off switch so I can completely isolate the batteries from the converter. This means no more constant draw from the LP gas leak detector when we have the camper parked and in storage mode.

Lot of good info right there. Thanks for sharing it. Where did you get your meter?

Hi Frank,
Sacandaga Campground is a NYS Park DEC Campground on Rt 30 between Northville and Wells. It's one of our favorites. Many sites right on the banks of the river. Most are large and the sound of the water drowns out any noise from adjacent campsites. No electric sites so we bring our Honda 2kW to run the microwave. We would still do so for a full week stay but knowing our battery usage, I would no longer bother for two or three nights.